The Final Destination
Final Destination 4 is a 2009 3-D supernatural thriller/horror film written by Eric Bress and directed by David R. Ellis, both of whom also worked on Final Destination 2. Released on August 28, 2009, it is the fourth installment to the Final Destination franchise, and the first of which to be shot in HD 3-D. Final Destination 4 is rated R by the MPAA for strong violent/gruesome accidents, language and a scene of sexuality, in the United Kingdom, it is rated cert 15. Plot While watching a race at McKinley Speedway for a study break, college student Nick O'Bannon (Bobby Campo) has a premonition of a car crash which sends debris into the audience, crushing some spectators and resulting in the stadium partially collapsing, killing almost everyone present in the 180 section. In a panic Nick convinces his girlfriend Lori Milligan (Shantel VanSanten), and friends Hunt Wynorski (Nick Zano) and Janet Cunnigham (Haley Webb) to leave, with the quartet being followed by a handful of others who become angry with Nick after he pushes past them to escape. A security guard named George Lanter (Mykelti Williamson) intervenes when everyone begins to argue outside, just as the catastrophe Nick had foreseen occurs. After a memorial service at McKinley Speedway, two of the spectators who followed Nick and his friends out of the stadium - Carter Daniels (Justin Welborn) and Samantha Lane (Krista Allen) - died violently in freak accidents. Before their deaths, Nick had seen omens of clues how they would die. Hearing about Carter and Samantha's deaths on the news, Nick and Lori begin doing research, and learn about the disasters that occurred in the previous three films (The Explosion of Flight 180, Highway Pile-up of Route 23, and Rollercoaster Derailment in McKinley, Pennsylvania and discover that the survivors (who were saved by premonitions) began dying in a series of improbable accidents shortly afterwards. While Hunt and Janet refuse to believe them, Nick and Lori manage to convince George that Death is after them and the trio begin trying to warn other survivors, though fail to save any except for Janet, who nearly drowns getting her car washed. The next survivors to die are Andy Kewzer (Andrew Fiscella), Hunt and Jonathan Grove (Jackson Walker). George is abruptly killed just after Nick has a second premonition showing him that Lori and Janet will die while watching a film in a shopping mall cinema after an explosion in a room above the theatre. Nick rushes to reach them, while Lori begins spotting omens warning her that the danger is not over. Once Nick arrives, he and Lori attempt to convince Janet to leave, but are unsuccessful in their efforts. Janet is killed in the explosion and Lori also meets her demise. Nick then realizes that the event hasn't happened yet, and is able to save his friends by extinguishing the fire that would have caused the initial explosion. Weeks later, the trio, thinking they have conquered Death's plan, celebrate survival at a cafe. Nick notices a loose leg on a scaffold outside the cafe, and he tells a construction worker to fix it up. Once inside he drifts off into thought after seeing omens around him, and realizes that his premonitions and signs, along with all the disasters and deaths that had occurred since the speedway incident, are red herrings from Death used to manipulate them into where and when it would really come for them. Just as Nick realizes this, the scaffold falls, and in order to avoid it, a truck swerves, crashes through the cafe window, and kills the group, leaving all connected to the McKinley Speedway disaster dead. It is left unknown whether or not this was another of Nick's premonitions, which would have Nick surpass Wendy as the character who received the most full-fledged premonitions. Characters *'Lori Milligan' (Shantel VanSanten): The female lead in'' Final Destination4'' and the first one who believes Nick's premonition. She is smart and the kindest of the group, and she is also dating with Nick. She chooses to follow Nick out the stadium because she is worried about him. She would have been crushed by an escalator conveyor belt if it wasn't for the intervention of Nick. She is hit by a truck, along with Nick and Janet, and breaks her neck. She is the ninth to die, but the end of the movie leaves it unknown whether or not this was a premonition. *'Nick O'Bannon' (Bobby Campo): The male lead in Final Destination 4 and he is the one with the premonitions and reading omens. He has some heroic characteristics and is dating with Lori. Nick causes a commotion in the seats causing his friends and other angry people to leave the stadium. He is hit by a truck along with Lori and Janet, and the impact smashes him against the cafe wall, killing him. He is the tenth and last to die, though it is unknown if this was another premonition. *'Cynthia Daniels' (Lara Grice): Married to racist, Carter Daniels. She didn't leave the stadium because Carter told her to stay back while he confronted Nick. She was killed by being sliced in half by exploding debris, just as in the premonition. *'Nadia Monroy' (Stephanie Honore): Andy's girlfriend. She was spoiled by Andy and shallow and mean like him. She followed Nick out of the stadium because Andy was leaving the stadium to confront Nick. She is then killed right after when a tire from an exploding car grinds through her head by being thrown from the stadium, spinning toward her at high speeds. She is the first one to die. *'Carter Daniels' (Justin Welborn): Married to Cynthia Daniels, and is a racist. He is the meanest and rudest of all the characters. He follows Nick out of the stadium to fight with him for spilling his beer on him. He's burning to death while being dragged down the street by the hook of his tow truck. He is the second one to die. *'Samantha Lane' (Krista Allen): Married and has two sons. She is somewhat spoiled and wants things done her way, but she is also kind and caring towards her kids. Samantha followed her sons out of the stadium, who had run to watch the fight. A sharp stone flies right through her right eye when a lawnmower runs over it and propels it outwards. She is the third one to die. *'Andy Kewzer' (Andrew Fischella): Mechanic who's dating with Nadia. He is rude and mean to everyone. He followed Nick out of the stadium to fight with him after Nick's hysteria annoys both Nadia and himself. He is crushed into a fence by a flying CO2 canister, which dices his torso. He is the fourth one to die. *'Hunt Wynorski' (Nick Zano): Friend with Nick, Lori and previously dated with Janet. He is somewhat insensitive and loves violence. He follows Nick out the stadium to yell at him for ruining his game. His organs are sucked violently down the drain in a pool. He is the fifth one to die. *'Jonathan Grove' (Jackson Walker): A minor comic relief in the film. He wears a cowboy hat and has a southern accent. He doesn't follow Nick out of the stadium because he doesn't want to be involved in a fight, but he doesn't die because Nick never asked him to move to another seat. He ends up buried under the debris, but alive. When recovered and sent to a hospital, a small bath tub falls on him through the ceiling from the floor above, crushing him. He is the sixth to die. *'George Lanter' (Mykelti Williamson): Security guard at the stadium. Prior to the McKinley Speedway crash he lost his wife and daughter in a car accident because of driving under the influence. He is having trouble not drinking and is generally mild-tempered because he didn't even attempt to defend himself when racist insults are aimed at him. He follows Nick out the stadium to make sure a fight doesn't break out in the group. He is run over by a speeding ambulance. He is the seventh to die. *'Janet Cunnigham' (Haley Webb): Friend with Nick, Lori and Hunt's ex-girlfriend. Janet is one of the most emotionally fragile of the group and is always uptight and might have believed Nick and Lori about the premonitions, but she was too scared to want any part of it. She decided to leave the stadium because she was scared of a crash in the first place. She would have been beheaded or crushed by a pipe in the car wash if not for the intervention of Lori and George, as well as being impaled by exploding debris and nails at the theater if not for Nick. She is run over by a truck along with Nick and Lori, and is crushed by its front left tire. She is the eighth to die, though it is unknown whether or not this was a premonition. Alternate Ending Alternate Ending *Nick realizes he has to kill himself for the chain to end. So, he puts out the initial fire and then jumps out a window, killing himself. Later, Janet and Lori embrace, thinking that it is over. Suddenly, a car hits the crane with the A/C unit. The unit drops and crushes Lori and Janet. This alternate ending contains a contradiction to the apparent 'rules' of deaths design according to the rules unless the person is next to die any suicidal attempt (and possibly any attempt by another party) on the persons life will fail two examples of this are Eugene Dix and George Lanton both of whom made failed attempts at suicide this contradiction is the possible reason it wasn't chosen as the canon ending. *In another, Nick is also crushed with Lori in the escalator, instead of it being a vision. * Production Development After the success of Final Destination 3, which was initially planned to be in 3-D, Eric Bress wrote a script, which impressed producer Craig Perry and New Line Cinema enough to green-light a fourth installment. James Wong was on board to direct, but because of scheduling conflicts, he decided to drop out. Consequently, the studio executives opted for David R. Ellis to return because of his work on Final Destination 2, who personally accepted because of the 3-D. For the 3-D, which is the same technology James Cameron used for Avatar, Perry said that he wanted it to add depth to the film instead of just "something popping out at the audience every four minutes." Filming Although shooting was to be done in Vancouver, which was where the previous three films were shot, David R. Ellis convinced the producers to shoot in New Orleans instead to bring business in the city, and because the budget was already big. The opening crash sequence at "McKinley Speedway" was filmed at Mobile International Speedway in Irvington, Alabama. Filming began in March 2008 and ended late May in the same year. Reshoots were done in April 2009 at Universal Studios Florida. Promotion Producer Craig Perry presented clips of the film at San Diego Comic Con. Additionally, a number of video games feature'' Final Destination 4'' posters: Saints Row 2 has posters around the city taped to walls and poles, Skate 2 features billboards with posters on them, and Mercenaries 2: World in Flames added billboards with the movie's logo in a content update. Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Vegas 2 also features the promotional posters hidden around certain maps with the main goal to find all of the posters for a chance to win $1,300.Proof of Vegas2 contest Release The film was released in 3-D as well as in conventional theaters on August 28, 2009, the same release of Halloween II. It was initially planned for an August 14 release. It is also the first 3-D film to feature D-BOX motion feedback technology in select theaters. Reception The film received mostly negative reviews by critics. As of August 29, it holds a 30% "rotten" rating on Rotten Tomatoes. There was general agreement that "Final Destination 4 is predictable, disposable horror fare". Likewise, based on the 13 reviews collected, Metacritic awards the film an average score of 34/100, which denotes "generally unfavorable reviews". Many critics opined that "the series has clearly run out of ideas". "The biggest sin of Final Destination 4 is its general lack of imagination," says one. "It's death porn, pure and simple," says another. "Whatever hints of originality lay in the series' previous editions have been all but sucked out of this one," spoke Jordan Mintzer of Variety. Some positive reviews referenced its "OK sense of humor", "swift progression" and "effective opening sequence of racetrack destruction that puts its Fusion 3-D technology to good use." "Final Destination 4 has some surprising sparks of life to it yet," says Dustin Putman of TheMovieBoy. In addition, fans (as well as non-fans) of the series were nevertheless generally favorable of the film, due to the 3-D and the hype that built around it. According to USA Today and Newsday,'' Final Destination 4'' debuted as the top of the box office beating out Rob Zombie's Halloween II, by earning $28.3 million during its first weekend.USA Today Newsday External links *Official website *Final Destination Gallery Category: Films Category: The Final Destination